Tongue-support for vehicles.



No. 649,036. PatentedMay 8, I900.

W. SHBY.

TONGUE SUP FOB VEHICLES. (Application fled nam zo. 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. ASHBY, OF

MASON COUNTY, TEXAS.

TONGUE-SUPPORT FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 649,036, dated May 8, 1900.

Application filed December 20, 1899. Serial No. 741,037i (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. ASHBY, a citizen of the United States, residingin Mason county, State of Texas, (whose post-office address is Field Oreek,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongue-Supports for Vehicles and the Like; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a tongue-support for the tongues of vehicles and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide an exceedingly simple and effective catch or holder for holding the support up against the under side of the tongue.

A further object is to provide an operating device or lever on the upper side of the tongue for operating said holding clip or catch.

A further object is to provide a simple and effective spring clip or catch which when the support is folded up against the under side of the tongue will engage and hold the same.

A further object is to generally improve and simplify the construction of a holding clip or catch for a tongue-support.

iVith such and other objects in view the invention is embodied in the novel parts, arrangements, and combination of parts hereinafter described, and particularly set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one form of the invention, but desire it understood that I do not intend to limit the invention to the construction which I have here shown for the purpose of aiding in an understanding of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of 'a portion of a tongue, showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the tongue,showing the clip in elevation. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a tongue for a vehicle or the like, only the forward portion of which is shown. This tongue is shown provided at its forward end with the usual stop or projection for engaging the neckyoke and with a forward loop or eye. This portion forms no part of the invention.

13 indicates a tongue-support which, as will be seen from the drawings, is hinged in any desirable or convenient manner at b to the under side of the tongue near its forward end. The tongue-support is adapted to be swung on said hinge up into substantially-horizontal position against the side of the tongue, as indicated in Fig. 1.

On the upper side of the tongue in a position forward of the rear end of the tonguesupport when it is folded against the tongue is a bracket 0, which, it will be seen, has an upwardly-extending pivot lug or bearing D, which may be and is shown as being bifurcated and provided with a transverse opening or aperture for a pivot-pin, which latter is indicated at d. The bracket 0 also has at each side thereof an upwardly-extending pivot lug or bearing, (indicated at E,) which lugs E may also, if preferred, and they are so shown, be bifurcated and provided with openin gs or apertures for the pivot-pins, (indicated at e.) Pivoted on the pivot-pins e are two clip arms or fingers F, each of which has a horizontal portion f, a substantially-vertical portion f, which extends down at the side of the tongue, and a lower inbent portion f underneath the tongue, and a downwardly bent or curved under portion f As stated, the clip arms or fingers F are pivotally supported on the pivot-pins 6. Their horizontal portions f, extending toward each other between bearing-lugs E and the lower inbent portions f approach each other beneath or below the tongue. Between the lugs E is formed a suit able casing or boxing for a spring, which is indicated at G, said spring lying beneath and adapted to exert upward pressure on both of said horizontal portions f. This spring may be, as shown, a coil-spring. The action of the spring exerting upward pressure on the portion f is to force the lower inbent portions f into contact or engagement below the tongue, and these portions are normally held in yielding contact.

Pivotally supported on the pivot-pin cl is an operating=lever 11, one end of which, it, lies above the two adjacent ends of the portions f of the clip-arms F and is adapted by the lifting of the other end of the lever to exert downward pressure on the portions against the action of the spring G and open or separate the lower portions f of the cliparms.

Such being the construction of the device, it is intended to be operated or used in substantially the following manner: Supposing the tongue-support to be in its vertical supporting position, it is simply necessary to swing the same upwardly until it engages with the down bent or curved portions f of the clip-arms, when by a slight pressure the support B will separate the clip-arms and pass between and above their inbent portions f which portions will then be forced by the spring into engagement below the support and retain the same in this horizontal position. lVhen it is desired to release the support, it is simply necessary to lift the outer end of the lever H, depressing the end h, and thereby separating the lower ends of the clip-arms, which thus permit the disengagement of the tongue-support.

It is evident that but a single clip-arm might be made to serve the purpose of the two shown and described; but I deem it preferable to provide two, as shown.

It will be observed that the handle end of the lever H has an upwardly bowed or curved portion I, which permits of readily grasping the lever. The outer end of this portion I normally engages the upper face of the tongue.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a tongue, of a support therefor, and a holding clip or catch for said support, comprising an arm, a bracket to which said arm is pivoted, a spring acting on said arm to move the same in one direction, and an independently-pivoted lever, one

gage said portions and force the same against the action of said spring, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a tongue, and a support therefor, of a holding clip or catch for said support comprising a bracket on the upper side of said tongue provided with two bearing-lugs, a clip-arm pivoted to each lug, each arm extending down on one side of the tongue and each arm having upper horizontal portion f and a lower inbent port-ion f a spring between said pivot-lugs exerting upward pressure on said horizontal portions f, and a lever pivoted to a lug on said bracket and adapted to exert downward pressure against the action of said spring, substantially as described.

4. A clip or catch, the combination of a bracket having two pivot-lugs, a spring between said lugs, a clip-arm pivoted to each lug and having a portion upon which said spring exerts pressure in one direction, a lever pivot-lug on said bracket and a lever pivoted to said lug and adapted to exert pressure on said clip-arms against the action of said spring, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM II. ASHBY.

\Vitnesses:

I. M. FICKLING, W. E MCGUFFIN. 

